Aside from trauma, it seems to me that very few things are more effective at triggering denial than when our identity is threatened. American exceptionalism is an example. But rather than whine about the great social services and infrastructure some other countries have compared to the US as a way to break through, I’m going [...]
Author Archive
September 16, 2011
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Instanbaltimore
By asalvo1 in CultureLeaving my world behind allows me to experience other cultures, and also helps me see my own. I’m in Istanbul at the International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA) to find out what others are doing, see the Istanbul Biennale, and talk about prosocial media research. Istanbul is cool. Baltimoreans would love it, as does everyone [...]
September 9, 2011
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Malaise and Malaria
By asalvo1 in PeopleThe big hope for Westerners in the past few centuries was the idea that things would just keep getting better and better for us. Unfortunately, unless I’m missing something, that curve of well being has stopped bending and started sagging—badly.While a great mass of humanity has gotten out from under the thumbs of some kings, [...]
September 2, 2011
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Ambassador Cyclist Outlaws
By asalvo1 in PeopleInstead of freaking out, if we redirect our frustration over the actions of fellow human beings toward reflection and understanding, it may help us better empathize with people and not dismiss them as idiots or jerks. So, here’s me redirecting some frustration I have by writing a blog post instead of doing something I wouldn’t [...]
August 15, 2011
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Identity Pickup
By asalvo1 in PeopleImagine a middle-aged guy named Jerry Engel. He is a real estate appraiser. Business has been a little slow since the bottom fell out of the market. Jerry likes to spend a lot of time driving around in a pickup truck, even if he isn’t driving from house to house to do appraisals. As a [...]
July 21, 2011
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Treating Others
By asalvo1 in ScienceWho in 1965 would have imagined that if an effective vaccine existed to inoculate against a horrible disease, people would choose not to use it? Just imagine telling all the intrepid researchers, bent over their microscopes for months and years, that the biggest barriers to delivering their vaccines could be people’s shifting beliefs and attitudes [...]
July 6, 2011
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Feedback
By asalvo1 in CultureIt’s summer now, things are at least trying to slow down a bit—maybe we’ll have some time to reflect. Those of us who have been producing the weekly films for this column are going to take a break from that for a few weeks. Instead, I’ll be doing some written posts during the summer—sharing some [...]
July 1, 2011
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Education Rethunk, Part 7: Enducation Series
By asalvo1 in EducationThis is the short wrap up of the WhoWeAm series on looking at education through the lens of culture. Two points—very simple. Blink and you’ll miss it.